Tag Archives: Lucas Duda

Never mind Matt Harvey for a moment, but the New York Mets must be thrilled with the continued solid production from Jenrry Mejia and Dillon Gee. If this season is about laying the groundwork for the future, then Mejia and Gee are good signs.

GEE: Superb again Thursday. (AP)

Assuming they continue this run for the rest of the season, the Mets could enter the winter without the need to add another starter through free agency.

The Mets have several holes they must fill, and if another starting pitcher is not one of them, there would be resources for use elsewhere.

Gee was strong again today as the Mets completed a sweep of the Colorado Rockies. He is 6-2 with a 2.42 ERA in his last 13 starts, beginning with a May 30 victory over the Yankees. He’s proven durable from last year’s surgery and should go into spring training with a spot in the rotation. Gee got off to a slow start, perhaps attributable to the surgery, but is health is no longer an issue.

Of those 13 starts, 10 are defined as quality, which is giving up three or fewer runs in six innings. As a fourth or fifth starter, the Mets can’t ask for more. Mejia has a quality outing in each of his three starts.

Gee downplayed his numbers to reporters after the game: “I don’t worry about that stuff. At the end of the year, when you look up, you see what it’s been. I try to take it day by day, and hopefully we win the games.’’

The Mets’ pitching as been strong recently, and forecasting to next year, Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jon Niese, Gee and Mejia comprise a youthful rotation with potential. And, we haven’t even gotten to Rafael Montero.

The Mets began their season with Johan Santana and Shaun Marcum on the disabled list. Marcum is gone and Santana will never pitch again for the Mets. As bleak as that news was at the time, it turned out to be a fortunate break for the Mets.

METS MATTERS: The Mets’ catching is approaching a state of flux with John Buck to shortly leave the team for maternity leave. Buck’s wife was due to deliver several days ago. They could bring up Travis d’Arnaud for the allotted three-day period, or they could go elsewhere in their system. … Lucas Duda, on the DL with an intercostal strain, isn’t close to being recalled, and we might not see him until the rosters are expanded, Sept. 1. … Harvey, who took a liner off his knee Tuesday night, said he’s fine and his between starts routine should not be impacted. … The Mets’ bullpen has a 2.10 ERA dating back to July 1.

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As the enthusiasm for a strong finish by the New York Mets might have fizzled in Washington, a bright spot continues to be Juan Lagares, raising the possibility of a speedy tandem at the top of the order with Eric Young.

Of course, he needs to show more offensively, but that part of his game is improving and the power might develop as he gets stronger and learns the pitchers better. It must be remembered development also includes adjusting to the pitching when it adjusts to him.

LAGARES: Catch of the year?

Lagares’ opportunity came from the collective ineptness of the Mets’ outfield. Currently, he and Young are the only outfielders that could be considered starters heading into spring training.

Lagares is outstanding defensively, and his diving catch where he lost the ball and re-caught it might be one of the best of the season by an outfielder.

The objectives over the next two months for Lagares and Young are to show GM Sandy Alderson his outfield needs aren’t so severe.

Lagares’ average is slowly rising, but his 47-to-7 strikeouts-to-walks ratio must close, and if it does his .299 on-base percentage and .699 OPS would rise. His number projected over 162 games would be 121 strikeouts, 18 walks and 39 doubles.

The number that stands out most with Lagares are 15 doubles in 175 at-bats. Give him 600 at-bats and he would be pushing 45 doubles. If his strikeouts and walk numbers improved, the Mets would have themselves a solid center fielder.

Meanwhile, despite cooling since his hot debut, Young is still a catalyst at the top of the order with a .275 average and .357 on-base percentage in 138 at-bats.

Since the rest of the season is for finding answers, I would like to see if Young and Lagares can complement each other at the top of the order. What is currently preventing that is Daniel Murphy’s ability to work the count and protect Young as a base stealer.

Should Lagares develop in that area, it might be intriguing, and could allow for Murphy to be lowered in the order to give him more favorable RBI opportunities.

That would be important to know if the Mets don’t bring back Byrd, which I see as unlikely. I figure, as with Scott Hairston after last season, the Mets won’t give the player two years.

The Mets misused Mejia under Jerry Manuel, bouncing him from the bullpen to the rotation. There was undue stress and a resultant injury that lead to Tommy John surgery.

MEJIA: Gets another chance. (AP)

Last season was a waste, but Mejia will be recalled to start one of the double-header games Friday in Washington instead of pushing Wheeler back a day.

Wheeler has been suffering with blisters, but Terry Collins said they’ve healed and the rookie had his regular throw day Tuesday.

Mejia started for Double-A Binghamton Saturday and gave up one run on three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in six innings.

Mejia’s stock has fallen severely, but if he does well and sticks, he could address two situations: If they continue to use him as a starter it might enable them to rest Jon Niese longer. If their ultimate plan is as a reliever, then he should report to camp in that role.

DUDA, d’ARNAUD UPDATES: Left fielder Lucas Duda, on the disabled list with a left intercostal strain) in on a rehab assignment for the GCL Mets. He’s still several weeks away, but when he returns he shouldn’t immediately get his left field job returned to him.

Although Eric Young has cooled, he’s still productive at times and has been instrumental in the Mets turning around their season. Also, Young has finally given the Mets a presence at the top of the order.

Regarding Travis d’Arnaud, the plan was for John Buck to keep his seat warm until he was ready to play. A fractured foot quashed that scenario and d’Arnaud might be a September call-up at best. He has just started playing rehab games.

MARCUM RELEASED:Shaun Marcum reported to training camp out of shape and was quickly injured. He left the Mets the same way and was given his unconditional release.

After several long and solid relief appearances, it was thought Marcum might get something in a trade, but Niese’s shoulder injury forced the Mets to keep him on the roster.

Had Marcum stayed, his only value to the Mets would have been to the media for Ryan Braun quotes.

METS MUSINGS: It remains to be seen if Jordany Valdespin’s temper tantrum after his demotion will force the Mets to dump him. However, Valdespin somehow fell into luck in Las Vegas as he’s gotten a chance to play with Wilmer Flores on the minor league DL with an ankle injury. I thought Valdespin was done, but he’s 10-for-25 with two homers and 13 RBI for Vegas. If he keeps that up, we’ll see him in September. … Minor league catcher Alex Machillanda is the clear-cut winner of the Idiot of the Month Award after he was busted for shoplifting in Port St. Lucie. Minor leaguers don’t get a lot of money, but there’s no justifying stealing.

As always, your comments are greatly appreciated and I will attempt to answer them. Follow me on Twitter @jdelcos

Although the New York Mets closed the first half on an up-note, it’s too soon to say they have turned things around. The wildcard would take a near historic run, but .500 is not out of the question.

On this date in 1973, a year they went to the World Series, they were 40-50, so there is precedence. No, I have not forgotten that team had Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman, but the rest of the team weren’t all shining lights, either.

It can be done. To finish .500 they have to be at least three games over each month, and they are already 8-5 in July. When it is broken down into little pieces it’s much easier to grasp.

Even so, for it to happen the following questions must be answered in the positive:

Q: Will the Mets keep the status quo and not blow up this team?

A: GM Sandy Alderson said the plan is to maintain the present team and not be sellers. Then again, he’s changed his mind before. The first ten games of the second half are key. If the Mets unravel in that span, there are no guarantees.

A: Harvey had a great first half highlighted by starting the All-Star Game. He also had ten no-decisions. He’s going to need more offensive and bullpen help, but there are times he’ll have to bear down even more as great pitchers find a way. But, that might be difficult if they are cutting his innings.

A: Arguably, they might be two of the biggest factors to the Mets showing turnaround signs. Remember, each started slowly but something clicked. Also, remember neither have pitched well for a complete season.

A: Parnell is finally taking to the closer role. But, there are two halves. If they don’t trade him, and management said they won’t, he has to keep mixing in that fastball with his knuckle-curve.

Q: Can they stay healthy, especially in the rotation?

A: Gone are Johan Santana, Jon Niese and Shaun Marcum, three-fifths of the projected rotation entering spring training. Niese is expected back by mid-August, but the others will never play for the Mets again.

Q: What do we make of the bullpen?

A: It has been good at times, bad at times and atrocious at times. It’s been good over the past three weeks, but there’s still not an overwhelming feeling of comfort. Also, they must avoid burning out Scott Rice?

A: Anthony Recker has been getting more playing time and coming up with the long ball. After a fast start Buck tailed because he was getting worn out. Tired catchers aren’t a plus. And, let’s forget about Travis d’Arnaud. This is a lost season for him.

A: On the field and in the clubhouse, Wright has lived up to his captain status. He is a good reason to keep watching. He might not be spectacular, but he’s more than solid. Looking at .300, 25 and 90 from him, minimum.

A: Quintanilla and Young replaced Ruben Tejada and Lucas Duda, respectively, and frankly, neither are missed. Collins said Tejada must win back his job and Young is playing so well, Duda isn’t an option at all anymore. They’ll keep him around in the chance they lose Ike Davis.

Q: Speaking of Davis, does he have a strong second half in him?

A: It sure doesn’t look that way. They won’t get anything for Davis in a trade, and Alderson said the team is running out of patience. With a poor second half, don’t expect the Mets to tender him a contract.

The New York Mets had high expectations for Matt Harvey for this year. Jeremy Hefner was to fill out the rotation in Las Vegas, and be called up if something went wrong, like we knew it would, in Flushing.

Hefner’s break came with the expected breakdown of Johan Santana. He made the Opening Day roster, was hammered early, but eventually has become one of the Mets’ most effective pitchers with a 1.80 ERA in June. That was even better than Harvey.

HEFNER: Proving his value every fifth day. (AP)

A successful season for the Mets would be defined as .500, and the rest of the season should be about who will be around in 2014.

That’s eight players out of 25, roughly a third of their roster who were afterthoughts in April now on their radar. That’s a combination of making the wrong decisions coming out of spring training and having some organizational depth.

Perhaps all won’t be on the 2014 Opening Day roster, but it’s a starting point for next year, which is the essence of this summer.

A lack of run support has Hefner at 3-6, but his ERA of 3.54 is telling us a different story. With Jon Niese out, and Dillon Gee and Shaun Marcum hurting, Hefner is the No. 2 starter, one who’ll be sought out by contenders and someone the Mets would be foolish to deal.

In constructing next year’s rotation, factor in Wheeler and Hefner, and discard Marcum. Should Niese require rotator cuff surgery, which we could know this week, there will be a need to add.

After going through nine other players, the Mets seen to have found their leadoff hitter in Young, who can play the outfield and second base.

Lagares is being given every opportunity to win the center field job, which accounts for two of the outfield positions. Marlon Byrd, you figure, will either be traded or too expensive to re-sign in the off-season. If it’s the latter, that could turn into a mistake.

Josh Satin is proving to be a viable option at first base assuming Ike Davis is either traded or leaves as a free agent. The Mets are using this month to ascertain Davis’ trade value. If they don’t deal him, there’s a good chance he won’t be tendered a contract and leaves as a free agent.

Terry Collins said Ruben Tejada must beat out Quintanilla to re-take the shortstop job. Assuming he doesn’t, Quintanilla has shown the Mets they won’t have to shop at that position.

I look at Brown as bench depth, and the same for the loser of the Quintanilla-Tejada competition.

The only other positions in question are catcher and the bullpen. The latter has recently been good, but overall is inconsistent. Torres should get a chance to compete for a job, but I don’t see LaTroy Hawkins coming back. He and Brandon Lyon can be swapped out. The same goes to Scott Rice if the Mets don’t burn him out.

Recker started last night and homered and singled, which should get him more playing time since the Mets have burned out John Buck. Travis d’Arnaud is now considered a September call-up, which might not be enough time to learn about him. So, somewhere Buck and Recker must be in the Mets’ 2014 plans somewhere.

Rarely does a season begin and end with the same roster, and the Mets are no exception. However, what they have now can morph into the foundation for next year’s roster.

As always, your comments are greatly appreciated and I will attempt to answer them. Please follow me on Twitter @jdelcos